Apparatus for applying moisture to textile materials



NOV. 14, FARRELL 1,935,022

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MOISTURE TO TEXTILE MATERIALS Filed Sept. 22.1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l 14 A, 1mm

Nov. 14, 1933- E. FARRELL 1,935,022

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MOISTURE TO TEXTILE MATERIALS Filed Sept. 22.1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 14, 1933. E. FARRELL 1,935,022 APPARATUS FORAPPLYING MOISTURE T0 TEXTILE MATERIALS Filed Sept. 22, 1952 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 14, 1933. E FARRELL 1,935,022

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MOISTURE TO TEXTILE MATERIALS Filed Sept. 22.1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fin/M1227: I

Patented Nov. 14, 1933 p v I 1;9's5,022 i H I V Armlmmus ron APPLYINGMOISTURE? "ro 'rrExrrmE MATERIALS 'iErnestFai-rell, 'Salford, England pI Application September 22, 1932, :Serial 7N0.

This invention refers-to apparatus or-mach'ines" I forapplying-moistureto fabries for cooling {and conditioningfpurposes'i. e. for restoringmoisture tO -fabrics afterthey have passed through drying,

finishingand like-operations. r

The invention refers in particulartocloth cooling'a'nd conditioningmachines of the'kind-wherein-the'cloth to-be treated is caused totraverse in a-zig-za'g path' through a closed chamber, while water "iscarried upwards between the adjacent vertical stretches of the cloth byabsorbentendlessbelts, the latter 'dipping into troughs of water.

' The power required'to drivefthese belts-is .con-

siderable. Moreoven'the belts are only arranged between alternatestretches 'of the cloth.

The main object of the invention is to dispense with the 'belts, and'toprovide an improved cons'truction of stationary moisture-distributingapp'aratus which allows 'ofbeing arranged between either alternate or"successive stretches of the cloth. A further object'is to providemoisturedistributing units which by being non-absorbent or practically'non-absorbent, 1 allow of being i only sup'erficially'wetted andthereby ensure of a more rapid evaporation of the water" and the' morerapid and effective moistening of the "cloth.

According to the invention, the improved ma-- chine comprises alargeoutercasing,-'similar-to moistening units, are supportedbnchannelbars,-which besides supportingthe units, serveto convey-"any-surplu's'waterawayto conduits n'ear the sides ofthe machine. r 'Wateris supplied tothe "troughsby small branch pipes from a supply pipe-common to all,

which at one end is closed'and at or near the other endis furnished with'a control cock; I

With waterdelivered to the troughs, it'finds-its way down the twoopposite sides of the units in the form of a film, thewhole of theside'surfaces of the units'be'ing wetted and with such surfaces in-proximity-to the cloth and the '-c loth hot and dry, the waterbecomesrapidly evaporated-and absorbed bythe cloth; I

and 'in iGr'eat Brita'in October- '14,

'5 '5' Claims. (01,2643) In the accompanying drawings:

Figs. 1 andl'a collectivelydllustrate a "sideeleva tion (with the nearside "enclosure panels removed), and Fig. 2 a crosssectionalelevation'(withsidefenclosure panels in position) of a'ma-' chine constructedaccording to the invention. j

Figs. 3, 4'an'd 5 are enlarged cross sections (partly broken away) ofvarious constructions "of moisteningunits that maybe used in the ma:chine. p

Referring to Figs. 1 and2, the'machine com prises alarge rectangularchamber 'A buiIt up of channel-iron members a, wand removablesheetmetalpanels "1), b,"the channel-iron forming a; frameworkjandthe sheet-metalpanels closing in the spaces of "the framework and 'forrning' the wallsof the chamber. The panels are a tight-fit in 'the framework. JIn theupper partof the ch'amber'areguiderollers c, rotatably journaled inbearings depending "from the upper side channel members '"of the chamberA, see Fig.2. In the lower part of the chamber "areif urther guide"rollers 'd" journaled' in bearings (1 carried by the lower side channelmembers. The rollers" of e'achfs'et are equally spaced apart, and'thosein one-row lie inplanes intermediateofifthosein the other rowy,

The cloth to be cooled and conditioned (m0is-, tened) .is admitted tothe chamber A throughia slot or elongated ,opening in one of the" endwalls or covers, and in its passage through the machinepasses overrollers c .andunderrollers d, finallyleaving the chamber through a slotor elongated opening in the opposite end wall, or cover of the chamber,-see Fig.1. Thefcloth before entering the machine may :pass. through anarrangement of guider barsr: and over a. set -.of rollers 0 .toQ-removecreases and cause it to pass to the machine in a flat condition. I

Between the vertical stretches 4 of the cloth are mounted :themoistening units, each of. which comprises atrough or ductat its upperend v(near the rollers c) and a vertically disposed part or parts oflarge surface area. In the example shown in-FigC-B, the moisteningunitconsists 'ofa wood board e, with the trough or .duct e ='cut :in thetop e'dgeof the board. In the :floor :of :the trough or duct and atintervals along the said :floor are inclined holes, through whichwaterffrom the trough may flow onto the surfaces of the board, :and sowet such surfaces. 'Ifo prevent '-a too rapid discharge of the waterpanda'lsoprevent ch'ok'ing, the holes in the 'fioor 0f the trough may befitted with tubes e and through the tubes may pass lengths. of cottonwick e To help to ensure even distribution of the water, the board e isprovided with ledges or shoulders e extending the full Width of theboard and acting as sills or weirs.

In the example shown in'Fig. '4, themoistening unit also consists of awood board e, while a metal trough or duct f is fitted to. the top edgeof the board, which is shouldered to receive the duct, as well as toform the horizontal ledges for the water to flow along as it isconveyedthereto by the lengths of cotton Wick f 4 H In the example shown in Fig.5, the moistening unit consists of twolarge sheets 9 g of asbestoscement, wood or the like, spaced apart by wood packing bars h, h andheld-together at intervals by screws 2', 2'. Above the top of the boardsis horizontally mounted a metaLpipe :i with rows of holes is along eachside, and with a hole 1 in its top face, and near one end. Threadedthrough eachpair of opposite holes is and extending below a'rod m withinthe pipe :1 is a length of cotton wick n, the loose ends of which reston the top edges of the sheets g g This last described construction. ofmoistening unit is the one shown applied in Figs. 1 and 2. In eachexample, the moistening ,unit rests upon the channel bars 0, extendingacross the machine and supported by the further longitudinal channelbars 1), p.

I For further supporting the moistening units, adjustable steady pins orstay members 9 are provided, which engage angle-iron slippers gembracing the edges of the unit, see Fig. 2.

Wire lashings g may be used, to help to hold the nect with a'hole'in theend of the trough (Fig. 4).

Said water supply pipe 1' is closed atone end (see Fig. 1) andterminates at such end inside the machine, while at its'other end, whichextends outside the machine, the pipe is fitted withv a control cook 1To further help to reinforce the moistening units, especially when madeof asbestos cement boards, a metal frame 9 may be fitted to each face ofthe unit, see Fig. 2.

The several rollers 0, care provided with duplex" chain wheels s and aredriven through a shaft t common to all from'any suitable source ofpower.

channelbars go, see Fig. 2, while from each of the latter extends a Tpipe u,leading to a sump or culvert -'u. r t

The operations of the machine .are as follows:With a web of cloththreaded through the machine (which is facilitated by removing some ofthe side panels of the chamber A), and the rollers c and 01 set inmotion, the cloth travels through the machine.- The control cock r isthen (or previously) opened, whereupon water flows into the ducts ortroughs of the respective moistening .units, which finding its waythrough the openings in the troughs and regulated by the wicks,fiows inthe form of a film down the two opposite faces of the units. Owing tothe heat of the cloth and the proximity of the vertical stretches of thecloth to the films, the water becomes taken up by the cloth, eachtraverse of the cloth between the moistening units enabling all parts ofthe cloth and on both sides reaching the final roller to receive andabsorb the desired degree of moisture.

' In the example shown in Fig. 1, there is a moistening unit next eachside of the cloth as it passes up or down, but there may be a moisteningunit only between alternate stretches of the cloth.

Byregulating the control cock 1- the amount of water supplied to theducts or troughs and therefore to the cloth, may be varied, and suchvariation, may. also be determined by the speed of the cloth.

The wood employed in the construction of the moistening units willpreferably be coarse grained so that its'surface will be somewhat roughand produce a rippling effect on the film of water flowme down the unit.Alternatively, large mesh wire netting 9/ ,(see Fig. 2) may be appliedto each face of the board, which whilebreakingup the film helps toprevent the cloth touching the board.

WhatI-claim is:- I t 1. A cloth cooling and conditioning machine of thekind comprising a large rectangular chamber, and guide rollers in theupper and lower parts of the chamber for conveying the textilematerialthrough thechamber, characterized by stationary moistening units betweenthe vertical stretches of the textile material each unit comprising awater conduit, and depending vertically from said conduit, a non-porousslab-like member, down the opposite sides of which water from theconduit flows film-fashion, means for convey n water to each trough andfrom the troughto the slab-like structures, a channel-shaped cross-barbelow each slab-like unit, and means for supporting the cross-bars andconveying any excess of water away from the machine. j

'2. In a cloth cooling and conditioning machine as claimed in claim 1,stationarymoistening units each consisting of afiat-wood board, and awater conduit along its top edge, the conduit having of wick threadedthrough said perforations and,

resting at their free ends on the top of the said 1 boards. The ends ofthe channel bars 0 open into the 4. In a cloth coolingand conditioningmachine as claimed in-claim-l, a stationary moistening unit havinghorizontal ledges or shoulders near its upper end and on opposite sides,on to which water from the trough flows, the ledges or shoulders formingsillsor weirs over which the water flows, prior to flowing down thefaces of the unit.

5. A machine in which moisture is applied to textile material whilepassing through the machine, comprising a large-rectangular chambercomposed of channel-iron ,members and sheet metal panels for closing inthe spaces of the frame and forming the walls of the chamber, some ofthe panels being removably fitted to the frame with removable sidepanels, sets of, guide practically non-porous material depending verti-hcally below the conduit, means for conveying and controlling a supply ofwater to the conduits, means for supporting the units, and means forconveying away any excess of water from the units. Y v r ERNEST FARRELL;

